


Cat in the window

by cease



Category: DBSK|Tohoshinki|TVXQ
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-22
Updated: 2013-05-22
Packaged: 2017-12-12 15:18:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/813026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cease/pseuds/cease
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Domestic cat Changmin is content to simply sit by the window and look down on the world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Cat in the window

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to my beta pinkeuphoria1

Changmin licks one paw before reaching to wipe at that spot behind his right ear. He purrs in contentment. His human grooms him well enough, but Changmin is a firm believer that if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. So, like a ritual, Changmin cleans himself twice a day, making sure that his fur is dust-free and his tail lush and thick. Then he sits by the window sill and, like the proud purebred that he is, watches the plebeian creatures as they pass the street.

  
  
* * *

  


There is another bowl beside his. Changmin frowns at the tasteless red plastic bowl next to his own porcelain blue dish. With a swish of his bushy tail, Changmin sends the offending object into the corner of the room.

  
  
* * *

  


'This is Yunho,' his human tells him.

Changmin eyes the large tabby with distrust. His human tries to nudge Changmin towards the other cat, but Changmin just snaps at his fingers. His human sighs.

'Changmin-ah, please play nice. Junsu would be so upset if he comes back from his holiday to find Yunho hurt.'

Changmin tries to walk away, but the tabby stubbornly follows him around the house. The tabby even follows him up onto the window sill, which is Changmin's own _private_ favourite spot. He hisses in annoyance and the tabby visibly flinches.

 

 

'What?' he snaps when the tabby continues to stare at him.

'Sorry,' the tabby says, looking sheepish, 'it's just that your fur is really nice - and your tail is really nice too…' He trails off, one of his ears lies flat as he shifts his weight from paw to paw, as if nervous about Changmin's reaction.

'And... and your eyes are a really, really nice blue.'

Changmin tries to maintain his unimpressed expression, but his chest swells with pleasure at the compliment and his tail swishes elegantly behind him.

'What was your name again?' Changmin asks, even though he had caught it the first time his human mentioned it.

'It's Yunho and I'm two in human years,' the tabby says, all smiles, 'I think I'm older than you, so you can call me "hyung"!'

Changmin is one and four months, but he doesn't tell Yunho that.

  
  
* * *

  


Yunho brings leaves and grass into the house, across the floor and even onto Changmin’s favourite window sill.

‘Why can’t you clean up after yourself?’ Changmin glares at Yunho and then at the piece of crushed leaf caught in the fur on top of Yunho’s head.

‘But Changminnie,’ Yunho says, completely missing the point, ‘It’s autumn, there’s nothing better than running through the fallen autumn leaves!’

Changmin looks outside; the front garden and the street are covered with red and orange leaves. It is a beautiful sight, one Changmin has always preferred to enjoy from a distance. Yunho pads towards him slowly until they are side by side. There is warmth radiating from Yunho’s body, perhaps it was the sunshine that had lingered on Yunho’s striped coat while he was outside rolling in the sea of red and orange, under the afternoon sun. He tells himself that that is the only reason why he allows Yunho to infiltrate his personal space like this, because Yunho brings some of that mysterious sunshine from the outside world back with him.

  
  
* * *

  


Changmin spends a lot of his time watching the plebeian creatures as they pass the street. Changmin spends a lot of time watching Yunho roll on the grass, walk along the fence, climb that tall tree in the front yard, make a hole in his human’s garden hedge…

Changmin spends a lot of time watching Yunho… outside.

It’s reasonable to be curious, Changmin tells himself. After all, he has always been an indoor cat and even though his instincts are telling him that the outside world is dirty and wild and not worth his time, he can’t help but wonder at Yunho’s happy expressions as he plays, at the stories he tells Changmin when he comes back inside.

Yunho tells Changmin stories about butterflies and about beautiful flowers that can injure you if you try to touch them. He tells Changmin about the view from the top of the trees, about the direct warmth of the sun, without the window glass in the way. He talks about noises and smells Changmin can only imagine.

When Changmin tells Yunho about these curiosities, Yunho is sprawled out on Changmin’s window sill, taking up so much space that Changmin is left to sit next to him, their paws mere inches apart. Yunho crocks his head slightly and peers up at Changmin. Then he tells Changmin about coldness on winter nights that not even the thickest fur coats can protect against, about desperate hunger, about rain that is impossible to escape from and that soaks everything, about vicious creatures larger than both Yunho and Changmin combined, about memories from a lifetime ago.

When Yunho finishes, his head is resting on the wooden sill and his ears are low. Changmin doesn’t know what so say, so he moves that little bit closer, until their paws are touching. He tries to imagine the cold and the rain and the hunger, but finds that he can’t fully comprehend it at all, because despite everything, Yunho is warm like the sun that Changmin has only ever felt through panel glass, kind and more patient than any cat or human Changmin has ever come across. Sitting beside Yunho, Changmin feels a sense of security and comfort stronger than even his favourite blanket can provide.

  
  
* * *

  


Yunho’s human comes back and he takes Yunho away.

Yunho is at first ecstatic to see his human and runs straight into his arms. _Stupid_ , Changmin thinks when Yunho blinks at him in confusion and calls his name as Changmin walks away.

‘Come on, Yunho,’ Changmin hears Yunho’s human plead. There are sounds of a struggle. ‘We can still come visit Jaejoong some other time.’

Then Changmin hears the voice of his human laugh, ‘Like when you’re visiting my cute neighbour?’

‘I… I don’t know what you’re talking about! Yoochun and I are just friends!’

Changmin hides under the bed until they are gone, because he doesn’t do goodbyes. He closes his eyes when he hears Yunho cry out for him, again and again and again.

  
  
* * *

  


Changmin sits by the window sill and watches as the leaves are slowly cleared away. Everything appears cold, as cold as the window pane when Changmin presses his cheeks against it.

Changmin thinks that maybe, maybe if he is able to go outside, he will be able to feel warm again – maybe if he goes outside, he will be able to get closer to the sun.

He catches his human by surprise, which isn’t surprising since Changmin has never done something like this before. He runs through the small gap of the open door and across the front garden and down the street.

The first thing Changmin notices is that it is cold. There is cold wind blowing through his fur and Changmin shivers unwillingly. The second thing he notices is the smell. In particular, the smell of the beast eying him from across the street.

It’s just like Yunho had said, the creature was larger than Yunho and Changmin combined. Changmin has seen such creatures before, but only ever from his place at the window sill. This creature is so much larger than anything Changmin could have imagined and he was salivating, probably from the thought of consuming Changmin for dinner.

‘Hello!’ The beast bellows, his voice comes out as a loud ungainly bark. There is a tail wagging behind him, so fast it makes Changmin dizzy trying to follow it with his eyes.

‘What’s your name? My name is Donghae and I’m two! How old are you? Why are you so small? Do you want to play with me? Because I want to play with you!’

Changmin is scared shitless and glued to the ground as the beast comes flying at him, floppy ears and a blur of yellow. Changmin closes his eyes, waiting for the painful collision, but no collision happens. Instead, a familiar wail cuts through the air and Changmin’s eyes fly open, heart in his throat. Yunho is lying on the ground a short distance in front of him.

The beast looks at Changmin, then at Yunho on the ground between them, in confusion, as if only just realising that he had collided with a different fur ball than he had expected.

‘Do you want to play too?’ he asks Yunho.

Changmin bares his teeth and hisses, running to stand in front of Yunho, when he is suddenly lifted off the ground. He recognises the scent of his human, but still cries in protest, trying to get to Yunho.

‘Oh my god, Hyukjae! Put your dog on a leash!’

Changmin looks over to see Yunho’s human cradling him. He is relieved to find that Yunho doesn’t appear to be injured, but then he sees red colouring the fur on Yunho’s back leg and turns back to hiss at the beast.

The beast, for his part, had guilt written all over his face. He whimpers at the sight of blood and walks around to hide behind a skinny human with blue hair.

‘Are you okay?’ The beast says, ‘I didn’t mean to hurt you! I just wanted to play…’

Changmin hisses and hisses and hisses until he is carried away.

  
  
* * *

  


Changmin’s human wraps half of Yunho’s body in bandages, even through only his back right leg is hurt.

‘It’s just a scratch,’ Yunho tells Changmin, ‘it doesn’t even hurt.’

Changmin stares at the bandages and at Yunho’s handsome ears and green eyes and at the elegant dark strips in Yunho’s fur. He silently walks towards him and gently rubs Yunho’s cheeks with his own, and then nibbles at Yunho’s neck because Changmin is still a little mad at him for being so reckless and stupid and who told him he could try to save Changmin by running head first into big, yellow, barking beasts anyway? Yunho’s purr is loud in his ear and Changmin lets him lick that spot behind his right ear and thinks that he has really, really missed Yunho.

  
  
* * *

  


Yunho’s human is taking him away again.

This time Changmin stands in front of the door and hisses at him until his own human laughs and picks him up.

  
  
* * *

  


A week later, Yunho is back.

  
  
* * *

  


Yunho is back the following week too.

  
  
* * *

  


Yunho is back three times a week.

  
  
* * *

  


Yunho is around so often that Changmin’s owner leaves the back door open for him everyday.

Sometimes, when Changmin sits by the window sill, with Yunho sleeping and dead weight against his side, he sees Yunho’s human and their neighbour coming in and out of the house next door.


	2. Cat in the box

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Domestic cat Changmin doesn’t appreciate being outsmarted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short ficlet, as part of the Cat in the Window universe.
> 
> Thank you to my beta Vampcircus1

Changmin doesn’t appreciate being outsmarted. 

To his credit, it rarely happens. So when he sees a box in the middle of the hallway, his first reaction is to approach it with caution.

Changmin circles it with mild curiosity. 

It is unfortunate that with each circle he walks around it, the box looks more appealing. 

Every fibre of his being is telling him to _go inside the box_. It looks small, but Changmin is confident he will fit comfortably into it. Actually, the fact that it will be a smug fit makes Changmin’s tail swish in anticipation. 

After much hesitation and internal debate, Changmin snaps and hops into the box. He curls into a circle, wrapping his tail around his body. It’s darker inside the enclosed space and Changmin purrs in pleasure.

The box is not as tall as the last one he had found, but it is smaller. It feels safe and warm and oh so _mysterious_ , Changmin thinks with glee. 

Perhaps his loud purrs mask the approaching footsteps, but before Changmin can react, something covers the box. Suddenly he is being lifted into the air. He briefly recognises that he is being wrapped in his favourite blanket, but even this does not comfort him. There are familiar clicks around him and Changmin tugs the blanket down to find himself inside his hated pink carrier. 

He attempts to attack his human through the small open holes to show his displeasure, but his human just chuckles. 

‘Be happy Changmin-ah,’ his human singsongs, ‘You’re going to see Yunho!’

Changmin huffs, despite feeling slightly better at hearing Yunho’s name. Why does he have to go see Yunho? Clearly Yunho should come see him.

  
  
* * *

  


Yunho’s home is… different.

The door is different, the floor is different and the smell is different. Everything is unfamiliar and it makes Changmin crawl to the back of his carrier and away from the door.

What isn’t unfamiliar is Yunho’s face when he comes into view through the holes in the closed door.

‘Changmin!’ Yunho cries loudly and excitedly as he crashes against the door. The door holds, but the carrier slides backwards. 

Changmin falls over.

‘Calm down, you idiot!’ Changmin cries when the door is finally open, but Yunho comes flying at him, tackling him onto the floor and rolling them until they hit a wall. 

Changmin’s back hurts and he thinks that somewhere during their tumble Yunho must have stepped on his tail, but then Yunho touches Changmin’s nose with his own and Changmin’s not really mad anymore.

  
  
* * *

  


‘This is my special spot,’ Yunho says. He looks so happy and proud that Changmin hesitates before replying.

Yunho’s favourite spot looks like a wide chair with piles of cushions thrown on top of it. Changmin thinks it pales in comparison to _his_ favourite spot by the window sill. After all, Yunho’s spot doesn’t have a view, nor does it hold the warmth of the mysterious sun. 

‘It’s okay,’ Changmin says, but Yunho just grins at him and ushers him onto the chair. 

‘You’ll see,’ he says, ‘It’s the most comfortable place ever.’

They settle down side-by-side because the chair can only barely accommodate both of them and suddenly Changmin is overwhelmed. His paws flex and slide forward until he is lying on his stomach. His legs feel weak.

It’s warmer than the feeling of the wooden window sill under his paws on the warmest summer afternoons. And everything _smells_ like Yunho, from the leather of the chair to the fabric of the cushions. Changmin closes his eyes involuntarily and a purr escapes him. 

‘See?’ Yunho says against his shoulder. ‘This place is awesome right?’

Changmin curls up against him and informs Yunho that his window sill is still the most awesome spot ever, but since he is tired, he is going to stay here a little bit longer and maybe take a nap.

 


	3. Cat to the rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yunho goes to the vet for a vaccine and is in need of comfort afterwards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally a twitter drabble.

Loosely inspired by [this](http://shiawaseirono-hana.tumblr.com/post/51846625151/changmin-massaging-and-rubbing-yunhos-sore-arm) (in which Yunho is clearly milking Changmin's attention for all its worth) ♥

 

 

‘Owww Changmin,’ Yunho cries as he collapses dramatically onto the floor. ‘I’m in pain, save me!’

Changmin rolls his eyes and pads towards Yunho.

‘What did they do to you?’

Yunho tilts his head and stares up at him with large brown eyes. ‘They stabbed me with a needle as large as your paws, Changmin. I may never recover!’

Changmin suppresses a smile. Yunho’s tail is swishing energetically behind him, despite his loud claims of pain.

‘Did they stab you here?’ Changmin asks, feeling generous enough to play along. He licks one of Yunho’s ears and receives a loud purr in response.

'No,' Yunho says and then turns to offer his other ear. Changmin huffs slightly, but gives the ear a lick anyway.

‘Actually’ Yunho continues, ‘the pain, it’s overwhelming. It hurts _everywhere_ , I think I’m dying!’

Changmin scoffs lightly and turns to walk away, but Yunho rolls over, crashes into him and they both end up a heap on the floor. He would be annoyed, but Yunho is rubbing their cheeks together and purring into his ear. He tries not to dwell on how warm and comfortable Yunho feels against him.

Changmin sighs loudly in defeat.

‘You big baby,’ he mutters and then laps at the soft fur under Yunho’s chin. Yunho closes his eyes and basks in the clear affection in Changmin’s actions.

‘Changmin,’ Yunho says softly, ‘You’re the best.’


End file.
